Edgar



Patented July 26, I898.

E. c. WILEY. I GUT-OFF VALVE.

(Application filed July 10, 1897.)

(No Model.)

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EDGAR C. VILEY, OF LYNOHBURG, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO HENRY E. MGl/VANE, OF SAME PLACE.

CUT-OFF VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,975, dated July 26, 1898. Application filed July 10, 1897. Serial No. 644,140. (No model.)

To all whom it may obncern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR G. WILEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lynchburg, in the county of Campbell and State of Virginia, have invented a new and-useful Out- Off Valve, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements. in cut-oft valves for high-pressure service-mains, and it is more particularly designed tor service in connection with fire-plugs, although the valve may be used advantageously in other relations.

The leading object of my invention is to provide a valve or cut-01f of simple construction which may be opened quickly to secure a gradual how of water through the ports in contradistinction to that class of cut-olis in which a slidable gate is used to open the out- When the ordinary cut-off is closed suddenly,

the pressure of the water in the plug is exerted with considerable force against the joints, causing them to leak and necessitating repairs and delays. I aim to overcome these objections by the provision of an im proved cut-off which may be opened or closed to gradually admit water thereto or to gradu ally cut off the flow of water, thus obviating the liability of injury to twisted hose and re ducing the strain on the joints of the fire-plug.

A further object of my invention is to provide a cut-off valve which may be opened easily and quickly by the ordinary spannerwrench with which thefiremen are equipped for the purpose of adjusting the hose-couplings.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for limiting the adjustment of the movable parts of the valve to prevent them dependent cut-offs.

without any change in the latter for the purpose of equipping ordinary fire-plugs with in- To the accomplishment of these ends my invention consists in the novel combination of elements and in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

To enable'others to understand my invention, I have illustrated the same'in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved cut-off valve, showing a part of the nozzle of an ordinary fire-plug to which the valve may be applied. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional 'view showing the valve closed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section with the valve opened. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation on the plane indicated by the dotted line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevation through the adjusting ring or collar to illustrate the right and left hand screw-threads therein adapted to engage, respectively, with the slidable non-rotatable valve and the fixed shell of the cut-0d for imparting quick adj ustment to the valve.

Like numerals .of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings, referring to Whichl designates the shell.

.2 is the tubular or cylindrical valve, and 3 is the adjusting-ring.

The shell 1' of the valved cut-off is of cylindrical form. At its inner end this shell 1 is provided with a head or plate 4, which is attached or joined to the cylindrical shell by means of the webs or posts 5, said head or plate and the posts being cast as an integral part of the shell. The posts or webs 5 serve to space the head 4 with relation to the shell, and the rear edges of the shell, the plate or head, and the webs form the ports 6, through which water may flow from the plug to the interior of the valve. The area of the ports 6 in the shell 1 exceed the cross-sectional area of the tubular or cylindrical 'valve 2, and thus the water under pressure is permitted to flow freely without being checked from the fire-plug to the tubular valve 2. The valveshell 1 is designed to be attached to an ordinary nozzle 7 of the common style of fireplug. In some fire-plugs the nozzle 7 is provided with an interior shoulder 8, and in this case I provide the shell 1 with an annular shoulder 9, which is formed thereon ata point intermediate of its length. The shell 1 is adjusted in the nozzle 7 of the fire-plug to have its inner end with the ports project into the water-passage of the plug and to bring its annular shoulder 9 againstthe annular shoulder 8 within the fire-plug nozzle, thus arresting the inward movement of the shell 1. The space between the nozzle 7 and the shell 1 in advance of the abutting shoulders 8 9 is leaded or calked in any suitable Way, thus makinga secure water-tight joint between the nozzle and theshell of the cut-01f. In case the fire -plug nozzle is interiorly screw-threaded the shell 10f the cut-off may be screwthreaded exteriorly at the place where the shoulder 9 is formed thereon,whereby the shell is adapted to be screwed into the nozzle to make a tight joint therewith.

The interior of the shell 1 is bored true to receive a tight-fitting valve 2, which is of tubular or cylindrical form and is made truly cylindrical on its exterior to correspond with the bore of the shell 1, whereby the tubular valve 2 may be fitted properly within the shell. This valve 2 is adapted to have reciprocal play within the shell toward or from the closed imperforate head or plate 4 in order to project the inner end of the valve 2 across the ports 6 of the shell 1 to close said ports or to withdraw the valve within the shell 1 to open the ports 6 and permit the water to pass through the ports and into the tubular valve. This tubular valve 2 is open throughout its length and its interior provides a passage by which water may flow from the cut-off. The tubular or cylindrical valve is imperforate throughout its length and its inner end is adapted to abut squarely and firmly against the imperforate head 4 of the shell 1. In order to make the joints between the shell, its head, and the valve perfectly tight and to reduce to a minimum the liability of leakage, I provide the gasket 11 and the packing 12. The gasket 11 is seated on the imperforate head 4 of the shell 1 in position for the inner edge of the tubular valve to press tightly against the same'when it is adjusted to close the ports 6. The packing 12 is seated in an annular groove provided in the external surface of the tubular valve, and this packing bears or presses against the inner surface of the shell 1, said packing being of hemp or other suitable material.

The tubular valve 2 is movable longitudinally or slidably within the shell; but it cannot have rotary movement therein. The valve is limited to slidable movement by a stem 13, which is fixed to the head or plate 4 and loosely engaged with the tubular valve, and this stem also serves to arrest the outward sliding movement of said valve, whereby the parts are prevented from becoming separated accidentally in the haste of opening the valve when it is in service and evil-disposed persons are prevented from tampering with the valve to put it out of order. In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings I cast a lug 14 on the inside of the tubular valve 2 near its inner open end, and this log is recessed to loosely embrace the stem 13, as shown byFig. 4 of the drawings. The forward end of the stem 13 is provided with an enlarged head 15, against which the recessed lug 14 may abut when the valve moves forward in the operation of opening the same, and the lug thus serves to arrest the opening movement of the valve. I prefer to thread the rear end of the stem 13 and to screw it into a socket 15, provided on the fixed head or plate 4 of the shell 1, although the particular means for attaching the stem 13 is not material.

The tubular valve is opened and closed by the rotation of a ring 3, which is operatively connected with the shell 1 and with the valve 2. The forward end of the tubular valve protrudes through the open front end of the shell 1, and the front ends of the shell 1 and the tubular valve 2 are provided with opposite screw-threads, with which engage similar threaded parts of the adjusting ring or collar 3. In the drawings I have shown the shell 1 provided with left-hand threads at 16, and the tubular valve 2 has right-hand threads at 17. The adjusting ring or collar 3 is provided with interior right and left screwthreads to engage the corresponding threads on the tubular valve and the shell 1, said ring or collar being of smaller diameter at one end than at the other to enable the collar to be properly engaged with the shell and the valve. This adjusting ring or collar has projecting lugs or studs 18 extending therefrom at diametrically opposite points to enable a spanner-wrench to be applied to the ring for the purpose of turning the same in opening or closing the valve, although the valve operates so freely that it may under favorable circumstances be operated by the hand alone. The adjusting ring or collar is adapted to travel a limited distance on the shell 1, and said ring or collar engages with the tubular valve to impart endwise or slidable movement thereto for the purpose of moving the valve across the ports 6 in the shell to open and close said ports. The valve 2 being limited to sliding movement in the shell 1 by the stem 13, the collar or ring 3 may be turned in one direction to move the valve 2 outward and thus expose the ports 6, or said collar may be rotated in the reverse direction to actuate the valve to slide inward to close the ports 6 in the shell. As the collar or ring is rotated on the shell 1 it is capable of a limited trav- IIO eling movement thereon; but by the employon the shell and valve I am able to adjust the valve quickly in opening or closing the same.

The tubular valve 2 is of a length to project from and beyond the adjusting ring or collar 3, and the forward protruding end of this tubular valve is externally screwthreaded and slightly reduced in diameter, as at 19. To this threaded reduced end of the tubular valve is adapted to be fitted a coupling by which a hose may be attached to the tubular valve; but when the hose and its coupling are detached the threaded end of the tubular valve is adapted to receive an internally-threaded cap 20, which may be easily applied to the valve, as shown. I prefer to provide the cap with a square or polygonal tenon 21, to which a wrench may beapplied to unscrew the cap from the valve 2.

In operation the cap is detached and the hose-coupling is united to the forward threaded end of the tubular valve, after which the adjusting ring or collaris turned in one direction to open the valve 2. As the ring is rotated the valve is impelled forwardly in a gradual manner to open the ports 6 gradually, and thus admit the water under pressure from the plug in a gradual manner. One of the important features of my invention consists in the employment of the fixed or immovable imperforate head or plate 4 at the inner end of the shell 1 and the location of the ports 6 in the side or cylindrical part of the shell, whereby the head or plate is adapted to sustain the pressure of water from the plug and the water is compelled to flow around the head or plate on its way to the ports Got the cutoff. Myim proved cutoff thus provides for the gradual admission of the water under pressure to the valve and to the hose, and it reduces the liability of straining a twisted or kinked hose to a minimum. In my improved cut-off I secure the important advantage of a relatively quick adjustment of the valve, coupled with a relatively gradual outlet of the water. My mechanismfor controlling the valve operates to give thereto a progressive endwise adjustment to vary the area of the inlet-ports as the adj Listing-collar is rotated continuously,'thus insuring the gradual cutting off of the liquid, and at the same time the collar, having the right and left threaded engagement with the shell and valve, respectively, operates to give a relatively quick adjustment to the valve so that no time may be lost in opening or closing the valve whereby the valve may be closed without straining the joints in the plug or hydrant, and it may be opened in a com paratively brief time when the plug is to be used in an emergency. The valve is closed gradually by turning the adjusting ring or collar in the reverse direction, and by this gradual closing of the valve the pressure of the water is checked slowly and the joints of the fire-plug are relieved from undue strain, thus lessening the liability of producing leaky joints in the plug.

From the foregoing description,taken in connection with the drawings, it will be observed that I have provided a simple compact construction of cut-oft which may be applied easily to any ordinary fire-plug, that the parts are arranged to obviate leakage of water through the cut-off, that the cut-off may be opened easily and quickly either by hand or by the aid of a spanner-wrench, and that the valve is protected when closed by means of a cap;

If desired, the cap may be anchored to the plug by a chain or other flexible connection to prevent loss of the cap.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and in the details of construction of the devices herein shown and described as the preferred embodiment of my invention may be made by a skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention. I therefore reserve the right to make such modifications as fairly fall within the scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a plug or hydrant, of a valve-shell fixed to said plug or hydrant to have one end protrude therefrom and provided with a stationary pressure-head, aslidable valve, and an external valve-adjusting device independent of the hose-attaching means and operatively connected to the valve to positively adjust the latter in either direction, substantially as described.

2. In a cut-off, the combination of a fixed cylindrical shell, a non-rotatable hollow valve slidably fitted therein, and a right and left threaded adj usting-collar engaging with similar threads on the shell and the valve respectively, for the purposes described, substantially as set forth.

3. In a cut-oif, the combination of a shell, havinga thread, a hollow valve slidably fitted in the shell and provided with a thread of the opposite hand to the thread of the shell, an adj usting-collar; threaded to engage with the shell and valve and adapted to travel on the shell, and means to restrain the hollow valve from rotating in the shell, as and for the purposes described.

4. In a cutoff, the combination of a threaded shell, a hollow threaded'valve fitted there in, a threaded adjusting-collar fitted to the shell to travel thereon and engaging with the hollow valve to impart endwise movement thereto, and a longitudinal stem fixed at one end to the shell and slidably engaging with the hollow valve to restrain it from rotating within the shell, as and for the purposes described.

5. In a cut-off, the combination with aslhell, of a valve slidably fitted therein, a fixed stem attached to the shell and provided with a head a lug carried by the valve and loosely embracing the stem and adapted to abut against the head thereon, and means for imparting endwise movement to the valve, as and for the purposes described.

6. In a cut-off, the combination of a shell having the fixed head, a hollow valve carrying a recessed lug, a headed stem attached to the head of the shell and fitted in the lug of the valve to have its head in the path of said lug and to arrest the opening movement of the valve, and means for giving endwise movement to the valve, as and for the purposes described.

7. In a cut-off, the combination of a shell provided in its wall with the ports and at its inner end with an imperforate head, a slidable hollow valve fitted in said shell to move toward or from the head thereof and across the ports therein, a right and left threaded collar engaging with similar threaded portions of the shell and valve, and a stem fixed to the head and loosely connected to the hollow valve to restrain it from rotary movement and to limit its forward movement, as and for the purposes described.

8. In a cut-off, the combination with a nozzle or pipe, of the shell fixed therein and provided at its inner end with an exposed pressure-head and with the inlet-ports in a plane at one side of the pressure-head, a tubular valve open throughout its entire length and provided at its protruding front end with a reduced attaching-nipple, means for limiting the valve to endwise movement within the shell toward or from the pressure-head and across the ports of said shell, and a threaded adjusting-collar engaging respectively with right and left threads on the fixed shell and the slidable valve, the engagement of said adjusting-collar with the valve being within the threaded protruding extremity of the valve, substantially as and for the purposes described.

9. The combination with a stand-pipe, of a fixed valve-shell provided at its inner end with a fixed pressure-head, a non-rotatable tubular valve slidably fitted in said shell, and a rotary adjusting-ring independent of the hose-attaching means and having a threaded engagement with said valve to positively adjust the same endwise in the shell toward and from the pressure-head, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a stand-pipe, of a laterally-perforated valve-shell fixed to the stand-pipe and having afixed head arranged within said pipe to be exposed to the pressure of the water therein, a hollow valve fitted in said valve-casing, means for limiting the valve to sliding movement in the valvecasing toward the pressure-head and across the ports or perforations in said shell, and a threaded adjusting-ring independent of the hose-attaching means and fitted to the valve and the valve-casing to rotate and to positively adjust the valve endwise within the valve-shell, substantially as described.

11. The combination of a fixed valve-shell having a pressure-head at its inner end and the radial ports within said head, a non-rotatable valve, a packing fixed to the pressurehead in the path of said valve, and an external valve-adjusting ring independent of the hose-attaching means, said ring being operatively fitted to the shell and having a threaded engagement with the valve for moving the same positively in an endwise direction and forcibly pressing said valve by screw compression against said packing, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR C. WILEY.

Witnesses:

E. W. POINDEXTER, OHAs. H. SACKETT. 

